City considers dropping pet fees

ALTON — A decades-long requirement for Altonians to pay registration fees for their dogs and cats may end this spring, pending aldermanic approval.

“It’s an outdated type of system going back 50 years that is unenforceable,” said Alton City Treasurer Cindy Roth. “We are not generating the amount of revenue to warrant the process.”

On March 9, the aldermanic Committee of the Whole first will consider recommending a resolution to the City Council for vote that would eliminate the licenses and their accompanying fees in city ordinance.

The resolution begins with the following introduction:

“The City Council has determined that the city licensing is no longer necessary or appropriate or productive, given the other regulations that are in effect both in the city code and through the offices of Madison County.”

Unless the resolution is laid over or tabled on March 9, aldermen would vote on it at the City Council meeting on March 11. If the panel passes the resolution, it would return for vote in ordinance form, then take a few weeks to implement.

Timing is key if the city drops the fees, as current animal licenses expire May 31, so deadline to buy the new annual permits is June 1.

Several years ago, the city would bring in $30,000 to $35,000 per year from the $5 and $10 registration fees; last year Alton received $10,000, going into the general fund. Cost is $10 per unneutered or non-spayed dog or cat; and $5 per “fixed” animal.

Roth said obtaining the revenue has costs associated with it, including paying for the computer software updates, and billing and processing the payments. Several years ago, the city quit providing metal tags for registered dogs and cats to save on costs, but still kept track of who had paid.

Veterinarians provide information on dogs and cats they immunize for rabies to Madison County, which charges a fee and issues tags. The county, in turn, provides the city with identities of dog and cat owners who live in Alton so they could be tracked for payment or nonpayment.

She likened it to the city discontinuing its requirement for vehicle stickers a number of years ago, with the revenues not justifying the costs.

The ordinance requiring anyone keeping a kennel, pet shop, zoological garden, animal act or livestock or commercial poultry operations still would have to obtain the appropriate business licenses. Humane societies, veterinary hospitals and the city animal control facility are exempt.

The proposed changes also do not affect other provisions of the current dog and cat ordinance, including impoundment, nuisances, vicious or biting animals, quarantine and suspicion of rabies.